There are a wide variety of infant seats available on the market today. Notwithstanding this wide variety, all of such infant seats can generally be categorized as either a single function, i.e., one primary intended use, or a multi-functional, i.e., more than one primary intended use, infant seat. Such infant seats can be further categorized based upon the types of functions offered by the particular infant seat.
One type of single function infant seat are those which are primarily designed for use as an automobile safety seat (hereinafter referred to as a "car seat"). A representative sample of this subcategory includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,842 to Segal, issued Apr. 8, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,506 to Wise et al., issued Apr. 7, 1987; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,468 to Shubin, issued Sep. 13, 1988. Each of these references utilize various restraint systems which include some type of harness and frontal barrier to provide an infant seat which will adequately protect its occupant when a passenger of a motor vehicle.
A second type of single function infant seat can be characterized as those being designed for use as a rocker or glider to subject the infant to a soothing motion. This particular subcategory of single function infant seats appears to have evolved from larger types of infant furniture such as cribs, cradles, and bassinets which are primarily designed to contain the infant in a prone position. For instance, cradles have long been used to rock an infant to sleep, the motion being supplied by either the infant's own movements or by the application of a force to the cradle by an individual attending to the infant. However, many of such devices have also incorporated some type of drive mechanism, such as an electric motor or other similar device, to provide the desired motion. A representative sample of these types of "motorized cribs" are U.S. Pat. No. 2,979,735 to Helmer, issued Apr. 18, 1961; U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,767 to Griggs et al., issued Mar. 24, 1964; U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,307 to Meade, issued Mar. 14, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,753 to Rios, issued Jun. 14, 1977; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,334 to Robinson, issued Nov. 4, 1986. Although each of these references applies some type of motion to a crib or other similar structure, some are merely a driven support surface upon which a "crib" may be positioned, while others provide an assembly where the "crib" and the drive assembly are integrally interconnected.
Possibly due to the popularity of "motorized cribs," while recognizing the somewhat bulky nature of such articles, motorized infant seat rockers were devised. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,080 to Hafele, issued Apr. 4, 1972 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,343 to Kinslow, Jr., issued Dec. 3, 1974, disclose one type of infant seat rocker. Generally, both Hafele and Kinslow, Jr. disclose the use of a drive mechanism connected to an infant seat by linkages or a frame assembly to, in part, support the infant seat in a reclined position with the seat portion being nearest a supporting surface such as a floor. When the drive mechanisms of Hafele and Kinslow, Jr. are activated, the linkages cause the infant seat to essentially pivot about its lower portion to generate a rocking-type motion. Although such designs generate one type of motion which may be desirable, some of the linkages or other similar connectors are exposed during operation which presents a safety problem if other infants or persons are in the area. The infant seats used with the driver assembly of both Hafele and Kinslow, Jr. appear to only be usable for this limited function as a rocker.
A second type of infant seat rocker is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,680 to Wilson, issued Apr. 14, 1987. The apparatus of Wilson generally includes a base, a carrier support pivotally attached to one end of the base, an infant carrier which is preferably detachable from the carrier support, and a drive mechanism which is attached to the base on the end opposite of the pivotal connection and located between the carrier support and the base. The drive mechanism includes a cam which contacts the underside of the end of the carrier support opposite its pivotal connection to the base. Rotation of the cam by the drive mechanism thereby causes the carrier support, and thus the attached infant carrier, to pivot through a limited range of motion. Although Wilson includes an infant carrier and essentially a detachable base, the base is a cumbersome structure which incorporates a drive assembly and apparently requires a large supporting surface to maintain its stability.
Another variation of an infant seat rocker is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,499 to Meeker, issued Mar. 27, 1990. Meeker discloses a base having an upwardly facing opening defined by the side walls and its end walls, a platform positioned within this opening and pivotally connected to the side walls of the base by generally U-shaped links, and a drive mechanism to move the support relative to the base. The platform is shaped to receive any number of commercially available infant seats, which is allegedly an advantage over some existing rockers which require an infant seat of special construction for use with the rocker mechanism. When an appropriate infant seat is positioned on the platform and a rocking motion is desired, the motor is activated which causes the platform, and thus the attached infant seat, to rock through a limited range of motion by essentially swinging on the U-shaped links. A locking mechanism is also provided which prohibits motion of the platform relative to the base to allow a child to be positioned within an infant seat already on the platform or to allow the rocker to be used as a stationary device. Meeker does not suggest that the entire assembly, i.e., the base, intermediate platform, and infant seat, would be appropriate for use as a car seat.
Although single function infant seats remain a popular choice among consumers, many manufacturers are now offering multi-functional infant seats. The promotion of multi-functional infant seats has centered upon having one article which performs numerous functions to potentially reduce the physical space occupied by such infant accessories and possibly the cost since now one physical unit performs the functions of two physical units. Consequently, a wide variety of combinations of functions are now being offered.
For instance, the Snugli.RTM. Bouncer Infant Carrier, commercially available from Gerry Baby Products Company, is essentially a combination infant carrier and bouncer. In providing these two functions, the structure of the Bouncer Infant Carrier includes a base and a carrier movably connected to the base. Two spring rods establish this movable connection, each having a first portion fixedly attached to the base, a second portion upwardly inclined relative to the base and slidably engaged with the carrier, and a third portion pivotally attached to an adjusting assembly which is in turn rotatably attached to each side wall of the carrier. The pivotal connection is made at a point radially outward from the rotational axis of the adjusting assembly. Rotation of both adjusting assemblies results in the carrier sliding up the inclined portions of the spring rods to increase the distance between the carrier and the base. Due to the inherent flexibility of the spring rods when the carrier is in this position, movements of an infant in the carrier or the application of a force by an individual attending to the infant will produce a bouncing-type motion in substantially a vertical direction. Rotation of the adjusting assemblies in the opposite direction will cause the carrier to slide back down the inclined portions of the spring rods into engagement with the base where the movement of the carrier relative to the base is substantially restricted. In this position, the assembly may be transported by use of handles rotatably attached to the carrier. Although disclosing a combination infant carrier and bouncer, there is no suggestion that the Bouncer Infant Carrier would be appropriate for use as a car seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,177 to Meeker, issued Jan. 6, 1987, discloses essentially a combination infant carrier and car seat. In order to provide both of these functions, Meeker includes an infant carrier which is detachably connected to a base structure which in turn is detachably connected to the seat of an automobile by its restraint mechanism, i.e., a seat belt. The infant carrier includes a harness to restrain the infant and also a handle for transporting the infant carrier when the carrier is detached from the base. Consequently, the infant carrier may be connected to the base to function as a car seat or it may be detached from the base and transported by the handle to function as an infant carrier. Although disclosing an infant seat and base which function as both an infant carrier and car seat, Meeker does not suggest that the combination could also somehow be used as a rocker. To the contrary, much of the disclosure is directed to the detachable connection between the carrier and base which maintains the carrier and base in a locked position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,946 to Cone, issued Jul. 8, 1986, discloses essentially a combination car seat and rocker. The infant seat is fixedly connected to a planar base by a nut and bolt combination. The material structure of the seat and base, however, is such that it possesses sufficient flexibility to allow the seat to rock about the axis of its cylindrical bottom relative to the base. The infant seat includes open ended slots for receiving a seat belt if positioned in a car and the base has handholds for transporting the assembled unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,850 to Brownlie et al., issued Aug. 25, 1987, discloses a combination rocker, car seat, carrier, and swing seat. The seat includes a harness and slots for receiving a typical automobile restraint mechanism so that the seat may function as a car seat. The seat also includes a rotatably adjustable handle so that the seat may be easily transported when used as an infant carrier. Furthermore, the seat also includes an adjustable L-shaped linkage connected to the back and bottom portion of the seat to allow the seat to function as a rocker or a stationary seat. When the linkage is placed in a first position, the seat is able to rock since the lowermost section of the linkage is slightly upwardly inclined from where it connects to the seat bottom. When the linkage is placed in a second position, the lowermost section of the linkage is substantially parallel with the seat bottom to substantially restrict any motion of the carrier relative to the supporting surface. Consequently, the linkage is an extension of the infant seat which allows the seat to rock or remain stationary, depending upon its position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,286 to Johnson, Jr., issued Feb. 1, 1983, essentially discloses a combination infant carrier and rocker. The carrier includes a rotatable handle for easy transportation. The contour of the seat bottom is curved to allow the carrier to rock when placed on a supporting surface upon experiencing a suitable driving force. However, the handle may be rotated to extend outwardly from the back of the carrier and towards the supporting surface to restrict or limit the motion of the carrier relative to the supporting surface. Although disclosing a combination infant carrier and rocker, there is no disclosure which suggests that the unit would be suitable as a car seat. Moreover, since no base unit is used, a potential safety hazard is introduced since the rocking motion may tend to pinch a misplaced finger or other body part between the rocker and the supporting surface.